Spring Time 2020

All cruelty springs from weakness.  Seneca
A sense of fairness results from comparison, those who are treated badly want to do the same. Learning from experience, humans and animals do this. Before they can even speak babies are  always watching, trying to understand, 12months olds are capable to understand what people feel. They register emotions, at an age of three they are helpful, act according to sympathy as psychology tests showed. One of the most stupid sentences I heard here is :"They are only children". This serves to do nothing, not to take the trouble to explain to kids where the bounders are that they must not overstep. Who needs positive role models? Quite a few cats have kittens in spring (usually 4), some  of those lovely little angels suddenly appear at my "cats' table" and rapidly disappear again, occasionally because they found a more or less permanent home, were unfortunate to get run over by a car or - this really makes me feel sick - were murdered by disturbed, if not to say brainless, kids, youngsters or adults. This just isn't normal. How can anyone kill those cute innocent cat babies? Three days ago 3 approx. 6 weeks old gorgeous little fur angels didn't turn up for breakfast (turkey salami). They used to still drink their mother's milk. The cat had found a good shelter for them but this couldn't protect them against evil minded children. A bit of sunbathing on the pavement in front of a safe cat friendly house, their only "crime". When cats see me they come running to me, when they see these kids here they run away, I never viewed such behavior elsewhere. It really depresses me, I pray for Tunisia introducing laws that protect animals, urgently required. It would not only help to stop the abuse but hopefully also help to create a better society. Experiences show that many of those with a criminal career started off abusing or killing defenceless animals. A positive development, Tunisia employs "green police" now, they are tasked with environmental protection. In Tunis you can be charged a 60 Dinar fine for dropping your rubbish where it doesn't belong. I have also seen their van in Sousse, great. Many rubbish bins have been fitted on two streets (or more that I don't know of), two days later approx. 12 of these disappeared again for whatever reasons. In view of the Corona virus some measures have been taken in Tunis to protect the citizens, several additional toilets with washbasins are now available and various areas at bus and train stations etc. are getting disinfected.

Post Script Corona virus, cats and dogs

Corona virus, Cats and Dogs

There are more things that frighten us than injure us, and we suffer more in imagination than in reality.  Seneca

Almost all countries are effected by the Corona virus, some more and others to a less extend. A well informed public rather than fake news and misinformation creating panic, is what we need. Scientist have traced the virus back to a particular bat in China, existing already a long time without making the bat sick. When this kind of bat was brought to the market to be sold as "bush meat" together with monkeys, the Corona spread from the bats to the monkeys, changed,  and finally infected those folks who ate the monkeys. They all died after unknowingly passing this new virus onto other folks. That is how it all started. A tourist from China stayed in a big hotel in Hong -Kong, he came in contact with 15 other tourists from various countries and when they returned it led the Corona virus also arriving there. Now the Corona virus is transmitted from those infected, from human being to human being, no cat or dog involved.  Avoid large groups, turn away from coughing and sneezing persons is advised, a face mask is not always necessary, nor are gloves as a general protection, but frequent hand washing is. The latest advice, bad news for all who like to push in front, the Corona virus being contagious, try to keep one meter distance to other persons.  In spite of that it appears for unknown reasons that a person from the Tunisian administration believes killing stray dogs and cats solves the problem of possible spreading the Corona virus in Tunisia. For all I know cats and dogs don't do much travelling, in particular by airplanes or cruise ships, are they really to blame? I haven't heard of a single case of Corona virus in a cat or dog nor of any other country taking such measures. My first thought when I received this shocking information was: does Donald Trump now work as adviser for the Tunisian administration sector? Thinking of all these gorgeous absolute adorable little treasures being senselessly murdered makes me sick. I swear it won't even prevent one single Corona virus case! I hope and pray that it can be stopped, money, energy and time be spend on actions that really help to contain the spreading of this new disease. By the way, in the Middle Ages a mass killing of cats, together with so-called witches, took place in Europe and caused the spreading of the plague due to the lack of cats that would chase and kill mice and rats on which the flea lived that transmitted the plague. Thanks to our fur angels there aren't many mice and rats around here. Some of our stray cats and dogs used to have a home, they are well behaved, it is obvious. They were put out on the street because of laziness, perhaps people no longer being able or willing to provide for them. As for me I would share my last piece of bread with my little darlings and would not want to live without them!!!

A Cat's Life ain't easy

 The other day I found two lovely well fed adult cats in front of my entrance door together with a transport box and a letter. It appears to be from a lady who stated that she is sick and old and can no longer support these two cats, one male and one female. Would I please accept them and not leave them out on the street as they always lived indoors. No signature, I guess to put more pressure on me to keep the little poor darlings. Unfortunately she also didn't give me their name and age. I presume it was a very difficult situation for the elderly lady having to part from those fur angels (it would be hell for me) and that explains why. Anyhow I feared my cat community won't accept further additions and I therefore was glad a young lady offered to take the female cat, her mother agreed to this. So I was left with yet another black cat (they have a great character according to my experience). In order to slowly integrate him I took my little nameless one to the kitchen, mainly occupied by our gentle Persian lady cats Aisha and Amelie. Feeling insecure in his new surroundings he quickly crawled underneath the fridge. I only managed to briefly stroke him, by the way, my husband and I decided to call our black diamond Fidel. He has yet to get used to his new name, no one remained nameless in our big cat community, this even includes some of our regular outdoor visitors to my Cats' Table. The food I offered to Fidel he didn't touch for two days. I decided to give him time to listen and inspect what is here and waiting for him. Anyhow, Fidel is eating now, drinks water, doesn't like fish, but croquettes and what is called here "Salami". I am allowed to stroke him a bit, he  is prepared to put up with Aisha and Amelie, but still spends some time underneath our fridge. A brief contact with Adele, Jolino, Lilly, Diana, Mallek and Fritz went well, a bit of grumbling, no real aggression. So Fidel should be okay as a new family member. I hope he will be happy here. But he had yet to meet several of our other little treasures. Two black and white adult cats, Alfonso and Fernando, looking like brothers, spend most of their time underneath my yucca palm trees, on the left and right of my entrance door. Unfortunately I can't take them indoors to live on our two terraces, but they are well fed. Whenever they are hungry, apart from the usual feeding time, they strongly demand food, hand fed preferred! I call them our guard cats. Tunisia can be proud of his great cats. I wish more folks here would appreciate this amazing gift from heaven!

PostScript This is the way it is

White and golden: Mallek, black and white: Claudia

Black and red: Nathalie, white and yellow: Ricardo

" Some wish to understand what they believe and the others to believe what they understand." Stanislas Jerzy Lec
Lovely Claudia and Melanie had to be spayed (always feel a bit sorry for my little fur angels, cats' kittens are so cute and beautiful, but family planning is a must) and when it was time to have the threads of the stitching removed, they had a little surprise for me: they had already performed this themselves, on the exact set date! Mallek (this means Angel, a very suitable name for this great tomcat) was very sick, he had breathing problems, the vet discovered water in his lungs. He had to stay for three days at the vet's, we got very worried. Then we received the good news that he is getting better and can be picked up, not sure who was happier, Mallek or we. He never stopped purring, cuddling with him  was so great, it really made my day! - I had to go to the hospital (out patient) and I was luckily accompanied by my husband. When it was my turn they called me by my second forename, for all my life nobody ever used this name for me. Without my husband I wouldn't have realized that I was addressed. Life is full of surprises! Watching a documentary about a Scottish island I discovered similarities with folks in Tunisia. If you ask there someone for a favour, he/she will definitely do this, but only at a time when it suits him/her and you need much patience. Now, if you require a tradesman here to do some repairs around your house, he will act like that Scottish island inhabitant when asked to do a favour... Further it was mentioned that on that island all are somehow related to each other and one is well adviced not to talk badly about anyone. I noted that in this part of the town most folks are also related to each other, so it is sometimes difficult to get information when a problem occurred. Not working at the weekend (various firms, in offices, shops closed on Sundays) is standard in Europe, connected with the Christian religion you may think, but no, also common here, whereby supermarkets and most other shops would remain open and some tradesmen also work on Sundays, but not on Friday afternoons (time reserved for prayers). Tidying up when the work is finished is standard in Europe, but not so much here. Labour is much cheaper and the quality varies, often a question of what was learned by watching and assisting other more or less qualified tradesmen. Some appear to be working in a way that ensures their "follow up job." Kids have much time to play and too many holidays in my opinion. Those with poor and/or ignorant parents are unlikely to do much studying at their modest home. I am under the impression that their parents prefer to have them outside on the road. Lately these children had an extra weeks holiday to refresh/ deepen their knowledge. Pity monitored studying at school isn't available instead. With so many unemployed teachers staff shouldn't be a problem, but financing probably is. Several countries suffer from catastrophic weather, flooding, storm, etc. We are overall very lucky here. Sweet Mallek is presently sunbathing underneath a plant on our roof terrace. Clever boy!

The Way it is

Somewhere in Africa: President to Governor: " Too many are unemployed we need to create jobs!" Feedback from Governor a few days later: " We now employ additional 500 staff members." President: "Where? Education? Environment? Infrastructure?" Governor: " No admin section. It is so simple, we send our good citizens from one door to another, then to another buildings, it keeps them off the road and everybody is busy......"

In my library I discovered a Tunisia holiday guide book printed 1979, it advices that the average monthly income here amounts to 100 Dinar, the equivalent of 500 DM (approx. 260 Euro). Airmail letters to Germany arrive after 3 or 4 days (nowadays at least 10 days, frequently 4 - 6 weeks). There used to be a train service from Kairouan to Tunis once a day, 4 hrs journey. We now have instead a motorway to Tunis and an expressway from Sousse to Kairouan. Thank heavens for that, it drastically reduced that dangerous overtaking on the road to and from Kairouan. The cement strip in the middle of the 4 lanes shaped and works like a rather long stretched flower pot, some wild flowers have already been provided by mother nature, pretty in spring. Printed on the back of the mini bus ticket: "Aldi" (Supermarket chain in Germany), on the back of a receipt from an animal goods shop: "Wir lieben Lebensmittel" (we love food), interesting recycling, isn't it. By the way, our Tunisian cats do understand German. Scientists say cats are approx. as intelligent as two year old kids. Sounds   right. Now we understand why we often feel that we with our big fur angel community are living in a Kindergarten. Cats love fish. From time to time I buy fresh Sardines, boil them, remove the fishbones, heads and tails and mix this with bred chunks. Our little darlings just know what I am doing behind closed kitchen doors, they have a meeting in front of the door and shout I should hurry up! Folks in a crowd act different from single persons, the same seems to apply to cats. Not always easy first thing in the morning, after they greet me with purring (their way of saying happy to see you) every little treasure wants to be fed first. But of course all remain individuals, which makes them so adorable. Needless to say only when all cats have had their breakfast and all visitors to my "cats' table have been served, will we sit down and enjoy our coffee and breakfast.

Post Script Living with Cats

"Everybody is self-responsible for that what he/she does and doesn't do." Voltaire

Many important things in life one can learn from cats, they are not all alike and capable to learn from each other and from us. Some really enjoy living in a big community, cuddling together is great for keeping warm. Occasionally I also found a cat that doesn't seem to like other cats, perhaps isn't even aware of being a cat and not a human being (e.g. my Persian Aisha). Aisha gets along well with Amelie, my other Persian beauty, as well as with sweet Lilly, Daddy's girl. All other cats she doesn't want to  see. Aisha likes to sleep on top of our kitchen cupboard (similar behaviour to a lion on top of a hill, wanting to keep everything under control). As it gets cold in the evening I try to keep my little treasures warm with small blankets, some love it and crawl completely underneath, while others uncover themselves. Not all choose the warmest sleeping place, they have several alternatives, two wooden houses, cardboard boxes, benches, baskets, chairs, their tree with a "cave" and a bowl shaped sitting place as well as a platform. Tomcat Tiger and his sister Sandy usually sleep in our bedroom, sometimes in my arms or even underneath my bedding. Should I oversleep then I have them as my gorgeous alarm clock. Great to be waken up with purring! Kitty, little black with red and a bit of white coloured beauty, who several months ago added herself (sneaked indoors) to our community, one evening walked out. Being worried she might get hit by a car (the fate of too many animals) I tried to fetch her inside again. She decided to play hide and seek with me, mainly underneath cars, then finally disappeared in an unoccupied run down house, from where I couldn't reach her. I called her several times, she came out once, decided I am okay and disappeared inside again to cold dirty floors, rooms with broken windows and no food. You may think with so many cats in my house not a big loss, but this was not at all how I felt. I love each one of my little treasures, each one counts! I felt sad and my husband tried to comfort me saying she will return. Well, finally Kitty decided that "hotel vice mama" is better after all and waited in front of our door for me to come out looking for her once more. So happy to have her back! Several of my fur angels who once arrived as young kittens, have grown up and become big beautiful tomcats or lady cats, while others remained dainty and small like maybe six month old ones. It must be their genes and perhaps the food they received when they were very young. Scientists discovered that following several years of food shortage in North Korea the population grew up shorter in size. It is not necessarily better food that leads to taller folks though, fast food can have that effect. I noted while for many years people from southern countries, including Arabs, used to be shorter than Europeans, this is changing among the new generation, though some are quite tall yet very skinny. I presume too much fast food and too little home cooking. Time to rethink and promote home cooking, my cats like some of it too, they are not stupid!